Oil and Vinegar: U.N. Struggles
To Formulate Policy on Iraq

While rising petroleum prices haven't made matters easier, diplomats at the United Nations said oil is among the least of their worries as they struggle to craft a new stance toward Iraq.

But they can't ignore the issue, U.S. and other officials said. If Iraq refuses to reopen its oil taps and petroleum prices continue to rise, negotiations over Iraq's future could assume a global economic importance that would make a messy diplomatic...